


Time to Change

by Maggsm



Category: Monk (TV)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 20:23:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14386416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maggsm/pseuds/Maggsm
Summary: Monk and Natalie and how their relationship changed during the show, continuing into after the show and how their relationship may continue to change and grow.





	1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I never saw the whole Natalie Monk thing until I read some fics and then I was like oh yeah that makes sense, and I had a bunch of little ideas and eventually started to write. I now have a lot of chapters that I am making into one story. I have not written anything in about 20 years but life isn’t going well, and I thought this would make me feel better. I understand I am not the best writer, sorry. Anyway, I loved the idea mentioned once that he calls her late at night for weather reports and these first few chapters are those phone calls. Let me know what you think

Disclaimer, not mine.

 

 

**Chapter 1 Midnight Calls – The beginning of a friendship.**

 

 

 

**January 27, 2005, 12:00 AM**

_Natalie was curled on the couch it was raining outside, and it was perfect weather to read a book. She had a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and was just getting into the story she thought her day could not get any better until the door opened._

_“You’re home!” She exclaimed._

_“Hey beautiful,” he greeted as she jumped off the couch and ran to him. He hugged her fiercely before lifting and spinning her around kissing her as he put her down. “We got in two days early, and I thought I would surprise my girls. Good surprise?”_

_“The best,” Natalie agreed as she kissed him again. “Mitch, we missed you so much I’m just so happy to have you home.” The phone started to ring, and Natalie turned to answer it but couldn’t find it. As she turned back around Mitch was gone._

She suddenly startled and awoke in her bed shaking her head for a moment before realizing it had just been a dream. The ringing continued. She looked over and saw the ringing phone on her nightstand. “Hello?”

 

“Natalie, it’s me Adrian Monk.” He answered.

 

“Mr. Monk,” Natalie said, “why are you calling, is something wrong?”

 

“Yes,” Adrian answered, “I need to know the weather report for tomorrow.”

 

“Then watch the tv or look in the paper.” Natalie groaned at him unhappy that he had interrupted her amazing dream to ask about the weather.

 

“Natalie if I get back up I have to repeat my entire night routine,” he explained, “and if I do that, I won’t get to bed until 2 and if I do that I am off my schedule.”

 

“Mr. Monk I am on a schedule too,” Natalie was exasperated, “I am on a schedule that involves me sleeping at midnight which is exactly what I was doing until you woke me up.”

 

“Since your up can you check the weather report for me?” He asked either not noticing or not caring that she was

upset.

 

“Will it get me off the phone with you?” Natalie asked

 

“Yes,” Monk answered.

 

“Okay,” Natalie agreed, “but this is a onetime thing, Mr. Monk. I need to sleep; please don’t call me late at night unless it is an emergency,” Natalie got up and found her paper on the desk turned to the weather section and started to read.

 

 

 

 

**August 3rd, 2006 12:00 AM**

 

“Hi Mr. Monk” Natalie greeted as she picked up the phone

“Hello, Natalie it’s me Adrian Monk.” He answered her.

 

“Mr. Monk I know it is you,” Natalie responded.

 

“How?”

 

“I have caller ID,” Natalie explained.

 

“Not in your bedroom,” Monk said.

 

“I’m in the living room,” she explained, “besides who else would be calling at exactly midnight?”

 

“I don’t know,” Adrian said, “I don’t know who calls you at what times, how could I?”

 

“Nevermind Mr. Monk, Natalie sighed, she used her remote to turn to the weather station. “I have to wait a few minutes for the local weather to come on.”

 

“ok,”Monk agreed, “so why are you in the living room?”

 

“I couldn’t sleep I am watching a movie on tv.” Natalie pulled the blanket closer to her as she spoke

 

“What are you watching?” He asked, his curiosity peaked.

 

“The Thin Man,” Natalie said.

 

“I always liked that movie,” Monk answered almost wistfully, “what channel is it on?”

 

“28,” Natalie told him and then waited for the inevitable.

 

“My tv doesn’t get it,” Monk said almost sadly.

 

“Your tv gets channel 28, Mr. Monk,” Natalie informed him.

 

“No,” Adrian denied “I can’t watch it.”

 

“Mr. Monk,” Natalie said, “you can watch other channels besides channel 10.”

 

“I don’t think so,” Monk said actually confused by the idea and its absurdity.

 

“Fine then don’t watch the movie,” Natalie concluded.

 

“What part is it?” He asked still wishing he could watch it.

 

“The dinner scene.” She said.

 

“Well then, it’s almost over anyway.” He tried to feel better, he wasn’t missing much of it.

 

“It is,” Natalie agreed hoping she would get to flip back for the end of the movie. “Oh, here’s the local weather, ok tomorrow is going to be cloudy but no rain with a high of 87 and a low of 72.”

 

“Thank you.” He said.

 

Natalie flipped the channel back to her movie, “ok, do you need anything else, Mr. Monk.”

 “yes,” he said, “I mean no, I mean…”

 

“Mr. Monk,” Natalie cut him off, “do you want to listen to the last few minutes of the movie with me?”

 

“Yes, thank you.” He admitted. Natalie turned the volume up slightly careful not to wake her daughter sleeping upstairs, she then turned on speaker phone and settled back on the couch watching the last few minutes of the film. As she watched Nick and Nora leave on the train at the end, she heard a small voice, “Thank you, Natalie.”

 

“It was no problem,” she turned off speaker phone and spoke into the receiver, “are you ok Mr. Monk?”

 

“I am,” Monk said although his tone sounded anything but ok, “it’s just Trudy, and I used to watch those movies together.”

 

“Oh, sorry,” Natalie said understandingly.

 

“No,” he said, “it was nice to hear a little of it at least, I haven’t seen those movies in years.”

 

“You should watch them again it will be a happy reminder of good times.” Natalie tried.

 

“They are never on channel 10.” Even Monk realized how pathetic that sounded as he said it.

 

“ok, Mr. Monk” Natalie gave up knowing she would never win this, “I’m going to try to go to sleep now, I will see you in the morning.”

 

“goodnight Natalie.”

 

“Goodnight Mr. Monk” Natalie said turning off the tv and heading up her stairs. She had gotten used to the midnight calls over the last year and a half of working for Mr. Monk. She minded a lot at first, but over time she realized that he wasn’t trying to be annoying. In fact, she suspected the real reason he called was that he was a widower who was merely lonely at night, and that was a feeling she could relate to. She made herself a mental note to buy VHS copies of the thin man movies tomorrow for Mr. Monk. Maybe the movies would help.

 

 

 

 

**December 9, 2007, 12:00**

 

Natalie was tired. She wanted to sleep, but the phone was ringing and wouldn’t stop. She knew it was Mr. Monk and that it would be him asking for a weather report, and she couldn’t deal. She had already taken him to seven different stores today looking for the exact right lights for his kitchen. The third store had told him that the company that made those lights had gone out of business a year ago but yet he made her keep looking. Because no regular 40-watt bulbs would do, they all had to match. At the seventh store, he found them and bought 50 asking if she thought that would be enough backup bulbs. Then he told her to be careful as he watched her carry all the bags into his place without any help. She had had enough of Adrian Monk today and honestly didn’t want to talk to him tonight, so for the first time, she just let the phone ring.

 

Natalie was a little surprised when later that week Mr. Monk called her at midnight again. He usually limited the midnight calls to 1 or 2 in a month there were never two like this spaced so few days apart. She answered the phone this night, “Hello Mr. Monk.”

 

“Hello, Natalie, it’s me Adrian Monk.” He greeted as always.

 

“I know Mr. Monk,” Natalie said with a sigh, “what do you need?”

 

“Could you read me the weather for tomorrow?” He asked.

 

“Sure Mr. Monk,” Natalie agreed before getting up to get the paper resigned to the fact that midnight phone calls were just part of her life now.

 

 

 

 

**January 20th, 2008 12:00 a.m.**

 

“Hello, Mr. Monk” Natalie answered her phone with a grin. She had been almost hoping that after what they went through at the bank the last two days that she would hear from him tonight.

 

“Hello, Natalie it’s me Adrian Monk.” He returned the same as always.

 

“Mr. Monk I know it is you,” Natalie explained yet again. “How are you feeling?”

 

“I think I finally have most of my oxygen back.” He said without a hint of humor in his voice.

 

“It was scary,” Natalie admitted, “you handled it very well.”

 

“I gave up and sat with you against the wall for a full day.” He said knowing he had not handled it well, he had not been strong.

 

“You didn’t shut down on us though, not completely, and when we needed it, you let us use Trudy’s bracelet to get us out.”

 

“It broke,” Adrian said thinking of his wife's bracelet that now lay in pieces in her jewelry box.

 

“I know Mr. Monk,” she placated him, “but don’t worry we will get it fixed. You did do well in there you know I am not just saying that to be nice.”

 

“I fell apart instantly and picked a place to die then cried with my head in your lap for a long time.” He disagreed.

 

“Yes, you did do that at first, but later after the captain got to the bracelet you were better you didn’t cry after that, you weren’t happy, but none of us were. And last night when I couldn’t sleep you let me cry, and you hugged me and made me feel better.” She listened to Adrian clear his throat uncomfortably but pushed it just a little more. “Have you ever noticed that there are times when you actually like to be touched or hugged by a friend, you just usually need to be in a life or death situation.”

 

“Maybe I can get the bank to pay for the repairs to the bracelet.” Adrian changed the subject.

 

“I bet they would,” Natalie agreed, “they already gave you the toaster and let you keep the uniform.

 

“I didn’t ask to keep the uniform,” Adrian told her.

 

“I know I asked for you,” Natalie smiled again, “I just thought you never know when you may need to go undercover as a security guard again and it would be a shame to get rid of it when you look so…spiffy.”

 

“I don’t do spiffy.” Mr. Monk disagreed.

 

“Sharp?” Natalie’s question was met by a small groan of disapproval, “handsome, or I got it dapper.”

 

“Dapper?” Adrian asked.

 

“Yes, you look very dapper in your uniform,” she decided it was the perfect descriptor, “I bet Trudy loved when you wore a uniform.”

 

“She said I looked nice in it,” Adrian agreed, “but she didn’t go on about it like you. What is it with you and uniforms?”

 

“I don’t know I always loved a man in uniform, looking strong and sharp and brave, all shiny and strong.” Natalie was picturing it in her mind her grin getting bigger as she spoke.

 

“You said strong twice.” Adrian interrupted.

 

“It deserved to be said twice,” Natalie defended herself, “You were strong last night when I needed you, Mr. Monk, maybe the uniform helped.”

 

“Are you bantering again?” he wondered, knowing it was closer to flirting but unable to wrap his mind around the idea nevermind voice it allowed.

 

“Yeah, I was sorry.” She admitted although she didn’t feel sorry at all.

 

“I don’t know how,” Adrian admitted, far less dismissive of her than he had been just three days earlier.

 

“That’s ok Mr. Monk,” Natalie dismissed, “It was nothing, just an effect from the uniform.”

 

“Ok…” Monk paused for a long moment before admitting “Natalie, I’m glad you didn’t die, but I’m glad you were in there with me. I think I would have been worse if you weren’t there.”

 

“Well Mr. Monk, I’m your assistant, it’s my job to be there to help you. But you want to know something? I am glad you were there too.”

 

“Natalie, you remember last year with Hal?” Adrian confused her a little when he suddenly changed the topic

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I thought he was my friend, but I was wrong and not just because he wanted to kill me I am used to people wanting to kill me.” Adrian explained, “But then I told you I had no friends, but I was wrong about that too, you are my friend.”

 

“Well,” Natalie said, “I told you that last year.”

 

“I know,” Adrian admitted, “but I still thought that it was just because I paid you or that you felt sorry for me. But, even if we didn’t work together, I would want to be your friend I like talking to you and spending time with you, and I just thought you should know I think of you as my friend.”

 

“You’re my friend too Mr. Monk,” She said with a soft smile blushing slightly and happy that he couldn’t see her right now, “Oh and I just thought of it; you could wear the uniform for Halloween.

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2 - midnight calls - better than normal

AN: I took some of the advice given to me and am going to make the change in their relationship very slow. These first few chapters will all take place during the show, but soon they will evolve to what it might have been like after the series ended. I know that they are a little out of character, but my whole idea of these calls is that maybe both Natalie and Monk were a little more open with each other over the phone late at night than they would have been face to face. Anyway, I hope you like it, but let me know either way.

Chapter 2 Midnight Phone Calls - better than normal

February 24th, 2008 12:00 AM

"Hello, Mr. Monk." Natalie greeted with a sigh of relief it was the first time that he had called her at midnight since she thought he was dead and they worked to clear his name and catch Dale Biderbeck. She used to be so annoyed by these late-night calls, but last week it destroyed her to think he would never call her late at night again.

"Hello Natalie, it's Adrian Monk." The familiarity of the awkward greeting brought a smile to her face for once.

"I know it's you, Mr. Monk," she said, "how are you doing?"

"I can't sleep." His sat up in his bed not even close to sleep.

"Well you had an eventful two weeks Mr. Monk it's no wonder that you are having trouble sleeping," Natalie said. "I know I have barely been able to sleep. First I thought you were dead and then I was so worried about you, and even after you found the bomb and caught Biderbeck I just can't seem to get my brain to settle, I can't imagine how you are feeling."

"I can't figure out who he was talking about," Monk said, "Who is the judge?" Natalie gave another sigh, she fully understood why he would be obsessed with his new lead, he should be, but it still frustrated her when he ignored what she said. "That's why I can't sleep." He finished surprising Natalie with the fact that he had been listening to what she had been saying after all. "That and I can't stop thinking about the water, it was terrible Natalie, it was so dirty."

"I know it was Mr. Monk," Natalie said, "but think of this it was tough and dirty but when it was important you did what you needed to do, you fell and swam and dealt with dirt, and you were brave and strong. Just do me a favor and never do it again."

"Be brave?" He asked confused.

"Die," Natalie whispered, "or fake your death, I never want to think you are dead again."

"Fine, I promise the next time I have to go on the run I will tell you." He knew what he was saying was ridiculous and didn't hide it with his tone of voice, but Natalie didn't care.

"You better." She said seriously.

"I did want to call you," Mr. Monk admitted, "but it would have put you in danger."

"I know." Natalie relented. "I just can't plan another funeral." This was something that they both understood; they had each had enough funerals for a lifetime. There was a long pause that hung heavy in the air before Natalie spoke again trying to lighten the mood. "You know Mr. Monk you were right about one thing, that 'learn to swim' correspondence course paid off."

March 31st, 2008 12:00 AM

"Hello." Natalie picked up her phone and put down her book.

"Hello Natalie," Adrian greeted as always, "it's Adrian Monk."

"Hi Mr. Monk, would you like to know the weather for tomorrow?" She picked up the paper next to her on the nightstand and started to flip through it. She had begun to keep a paper there most nights after the first two years of working for Mr. Monk. It was easier for the nights when he did call she didn't need to get up out of bed.

"Yes please," Adrian said.

"Ok, a high of 46 degrees and a low of 33 with a 15% chance of rain in the morning." She folded the paper and put it back on the nightstand.

"Thank you, Natalie." Adrian felt better now, Natalie reading him the weather for the next day always calmed him if only a little.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Monk?" Natalie settled the comforter back around her and grabbed her book ready to go back to reading.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Monk asked looking over at the empty half of the bed next to him.

"I was reading my book." Natalie knew that he wanted to chat for a few more minutes but didn't know how to admit to her that he didn't need to know the weather he needed to talk to a friend.

"I was reading," Natalie folded the page over and closed her book once again. "Our Town."

"What?" Adrian asked confused.

"Our Town," Natalie explained, "that's what I'm reading."

"But you have read that before." He stated confused.

"I have," she agreed, "how did you know that?"

"I saw it on your bookshelf years ago," Monk explained, "and I don't think Julie wasn't reading it when she was 12."

"I should have figured," Natalie said, "I have read it before, I read it about once a year. I like to re-read certain books."

"Trudy used to do that; I almost never re-read a book" Monk stated as he looked over at Trudy's book that still sat on her nightstand. He leaned over and touched the cover of it gingerly. He was lost in his thought, and it took him a minute before he realized that Natalie had been saying something and he hadn't heard a word of what she had said. "I'm sorry Natalie what did you say?"

"What books do you re-read?" She asked not minding that he had spaced out on her for a minute.

"Ones that Trudy loved, Great Gatsby, Weathering Heights, a lot of poetry, and of course anything that Trudy wrote."

"Did she write other than for the paper?" Natalie asked

"A little, here and there," he said with a smile, "She wrote to me, poems, notes, little stories, she was a beautiful writer, but she said that her non-journalistic writing was just for her she never wanted it to be something he did professionally, it was too personal."

"I get that," Natalie agreed, "I always wished that I had a talent like that as Trudy had with writing, or you have for solving cases, or Julie does with music."

"You have a talent," Monk stated as if it was obvious, "your good with people."

"Lots of people are, it's not a great talent," Natalie disagreed.

"Lots of people are ok with other people; they can do all those things I can't do, small talk, make jokes, lie, flatter, flirt," Adrian was starting to feel sorry for himself, so he quickly finished his thought, "you do more than that. Natalie, you have a talent for making people feel better. You can tell what it is they need, even if they don't know, and you make it better. You even deal with me."

"Thank you, Mr. Monk; I guess I do have a talent."

June 5th, 2008 12:00 AM

Natalie sat on the couch waiting for midnight. She was tired, it had been a long day, but she knew it was not time for bed yet. They had gotten the news early this morning from his messaging service. Natalie was glad that they had called her and not him. They called to let her know that Dr. Kroger had passed away the night before and that they would soon be referring his patients to other psychiatrists but they didn't have that lined up yet, and Mr. Monk should not go in for an appointment today.

She had broken the news to Mr. Monk, and it took hours before he even spoke. And once he did, he quickly switched from anger to sadness and back again for the rest of the day. She had just gotten him calmed down enough by eight when she had to go home to Julie, but she was waiting for him to call, knowing that he would tonight.

"Hello Natalie, it's me Adrian Monk," Adrian said as soon as she picked up his voice was rough and quiet, it was evident to her that he had been crying.

"Hello, Mr. Monk," Natalie said sympathetically, "how are you, did you get any sleep after we left."

"No, I tried to call Troy and his step-mother," Monk admitted, "but there was no answer, I don't think they are home."

"They might not be," Natalie took a deep breath, "Mr. Monk you can't call them ok, we will write a letter tomorrow, I will help you, and we can send it with flowers, but no calling them ok?" Natalie waited and when she got no response she knew she needed to continue, "Mr. Monk, I know that you cared about Dr. Kroger but you know what his family is going through right now, you have been there, and it's not time yet for you to talk to them ok? But we can see about maybe going to the funeral or wake."

"I don't want to go to the funeral or wake." He refused.

"It might be good to say goodbye." Natalie tried to convince him.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Adrian stated stubbornly.

"I know Mr. Monk." Natalie sighed not knowing what else to say. She knew no matter what she said this was a hurt that she couldn't make better.

"I don't understand, why is it that everyone leaves me?" Adrian's voice was smaller now, almost a whisper. "First my mother, then Trudy, then Sharona, and now Dr. Kroger."

"I don't know Mr. Monk," Natalie's heart broke for her boss, "But not everyone is gone, you have me and Julie, and the Captain and Randy, we are all here for you, and we love you."

"You will leave too," he said, "someday."

"How about I promise not to leave," Natalie offered.

"You won't quit?" Monk sounded surprised as if he expected her to quit any day now.

"You and me, Mr. Monk, we are partners, I won't quit us ok?"

"Ok," After a pause, he asked, "Natalie, I don't have to see the flowers we are going to send tomorrow, do I?"

August 5th, 2008 12:00 AM

"Hello," Natalie whispered as she picked up the phone. She and Julie had fallen asleep that night watching television together, and she didn't want her daughter to wake up. She quietly walked into the other room.

"Hello Natalie, it's Adrian Monk." He greeted, "Why are you whispering?"

"Julie was asleep next to me, and I didn't want to wake her, it's ok now, I'm in the other room." She explained as she walked into her kitchen getting herself a glass of water.

"I'm sorry," Adrian thought about it for the first time, "I guess it never occurred to me that I might wake up Julie when I call."

"We turn the ringer off on the phone in her room when she goes to bed now so you won't wake her," Natalie told him, "we learned that after the first time you called."

"Is that why you quit?" Monk asked, "because I call you late."

"No," Natalie said with a sigh knowing that she would be hearing about this for a long time, "that wasn't why I quit. I told you I was wrong and I'm sorry."

"I know," Adrian said, "but you never told me exactly why you quit, you told me you wouldn't quit us, that we were partners and then you quit to be the lotto girl."

"I am so sorry Mr. Monk," Natalie tried to collect her thoughts, "Try to understand you are this world-famous detective and I am the person that hands you wipes and deals with your phobias, it is a thankless job. As the lotto girl, people wanted my autograph, and the winners thanked me like I had been the one to help them, and it felt so good that after a while I started to believe it. And then you called me a bimbo."

"I'm sorry." He said right away; he had known that word had been wrong. "I don't think you are a bimbo, you are very smart Natalie, but you weren't acting like yourself, you were acting like a dumb girl whose only value was their beauty."

"I know Mr. Monk," Natalie agreed, "and I see that now, but it hurt, sometimes you do things that hurt my feelings and being the lotto girl was so easy, and it made me feel good."

"I don't mean to hurt you," Monk defended himself but then admitted, "But I know I do sometimes when I don't mean to, Dr. Bell told me I do that to people a lot, he wants me to work on it. I am sorry I hurt you."

"You also help," Natalie supplied, "I was horrible to you, and I quit, and when I was in trouble you were still there for me, no questions asked. Sometimes friends hurt each other sometimes they fight, the important thing is that they are there for each other when it really matters and you are there for me, and I promise you, Mr. Monk, I will be there for you too."

"I know you will," Monk said, "I will try to make sure I don't hurt you so much if you don't quit again."

"It's a deal," Natalie agreed with a smile.

"Natalie," he asked, "can you read me the weather for tomorrow?" Adrian and Natalie both felt a little better at that, knowing things were back to normal, or maybe even better than normal.


End file.
